RFP presumably means “Request for Proposal.” But in reality, it means “Really Foolish Process.” It’s crazy.
I speak from first-hand experience. A friend who works in the Community Development Department for the city of Los Angeles asked me to visit with one of his constituents, a struggling dry-cleaning operation.
This friend is well aware of my qualifications, having taken my class at USC’s Business Expansion Network. I was pleased he had called upon me.
He, the dry-cleaning people and I had a very good meeting. I appreciated his follow-up e-mail saying, “Thank you so much for inspiring these young guys. I see a prosperous future for them, and I think your advice got them on track.”
This prompted me to send him an e-mail asking, “I wonder if there are opportunities through the city of Los Angeles, to work with small business, as I have for so many years?”
On April 1, he sent back a memorandum “to all interested parties” from Manuel Chavez, assistant general manager, Community Development Department, titled: Release of the new Los Angeles Business Source Center System request for proposals (RFP).
I proceeded to the referenced website, where I found an absurdly formidable listing of all of the forms and requirements needed to provide services under this RFP. Holy guacamole, the basic package is 37 pages! Then there follows 11 – yes, 11 – exhibits of multiple pages that must be filled out and submitted.
‘I’m not an agency’
The first question put me off. It asked for an “agency.” I’m not an agency. I’m just an exceedingly well-qualified person with all sorts of experience who can help small and midsize businesses. It’s been my business for more than 35 years.
If the city wants to get help in business planning and support for smaller businesses, I can do this. But I sure as hell can’t or won’t fill out 50-100 pages of forms just to submit a quotation for a possibility of being called on by some agency to work with businesses. How in the world am I supposed to estimate the budget for this service proposal when no one knows how many businesses are going to need help?
This is just one more example of where the bureaucracy has completely missed the boat about small business. Why not make it simple? I’d love to help. And, sure, I’d love to get paid for it. But the paperwork is not only overwhelming, it’s pointless. What city employee is going to pore over received RFPs and decipher the reams of material that people have filled in? How qualified is that person to determine who is best qualified?
Who loses? The businesses. And it’s a real loss. Wonderfully qualified people discarded in place of overwhelming paperwork. Not a good business model.
John S. Haskell is a professional speaker and business consultant who goes by Dr. Revenue. He also teaches business planning at USC’s Business Expansion Network.
